1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for receiving or collecting in facially reversed orientation copying sheets discharged from a copying machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In hitherto known copying machines, the recording or copying sheets are generally discharged from the copying apparatus in such manner that the surface of the copying sheet on which image information is recorded faces upward as discharged. Consequently, a plurality of the copied sheets collected in a stack on a receiving tray with the recorded surface facing upward will be superposed in reverse order relative to the copying sequence as counted from the top of the sheet stack. Accordingly, when a book or the like is copied, the book must be copied in reverse order starting from the last page in order to avoid having to later rearrange the pages.
Is an attempt to overcome the inconvenience described above, there has been proposed an apparatus for collecting the copying sheets discharged from the copying machine in an upset or reverse face position so that the recorded face of the copying sheets face relatively downward. For example, reference is made to Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 31747/1968, where the prior art apparatus is so arranged that the leading edge of the copying sheet as discharged from the copying machine is caused to bear against a stopper projecting from a guide plate to thereby turn over or facially reverse the discharged sheet. However, this arrangement has associated disadvantages in that its use is restricted to a specific type of copying sheet, since some sheets--depending upon the size and stiffness or rigidity of the sheets--will not be caught by the stopper projection. Furthermore, the prior art structure provides for copy sheet discharge by way of a moving conveyor, and face reversing contact of the sheet leading edge with the projecting stopper has a tendency to disorder the received and collected sheets, thus interfering with and rendering more troublesome subsequent removal of the stacked copy sheets from the collecting tray.